Lubricant-atomizer.



W. P. STALEY.

LUBRICANT ATOMIZER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6,1514.

Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

Attorneys WILLIAM r. STALEY, or snnALiA, MISSOURI- LUBRICANT-ATOMIZER, vv

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 6, 1914. Seria1 No. 817,070.

he present invention appertains to a valve oil or lubricant atomizer foruse in connection with automatic lubricating appliances, applicable tosteam lines orsupply pipes for steam engines, and aims prlmarlly toprovide in combination with an ordmary or prevailing type of lubricator,a-novel and improved device for atomizing the lubricant fed with thesteam into the cylinder or cylinders, whereby the valves, pistonandother wearing parts may be effectively lubrlcated with a minimumexpenditure of lubricant.

It is also the object of the present invention to provide an atomizerdevice of the nature indicated, embodying a unique assemblage of partsto bestcarry out the results desired, whereby the device will bepractical andefficient in its use, and will be of simple and inexpensiveconstruction.

With the foregoing general objects outlined, and with other objects inview, whlch will be apparent as the nature of the lnvention is betterunderstood, the present invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

The invention has been illustrated inits preferred embodiment in theaccompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a commonlubricating apparatus applied to a steam line or supply pipe, andembodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of theatomizer, parts being shown in full. Figs. 3, 4 and 5, are crosssectional views taken on the lines 3-3, H, and 55 of Fig. 2,respectively.

The lubricating apparatus, which is of a 1 common or prevailing type,embodies the lubricator 2, containing the lubricant, such asvalve oil orthe like, and connected by means of a pipe 3, to the steam line orsupply pipe 1, at the point 4. As illustrated, the steam line, or supplypipe 1 leads downwardly to the steam chest (not shown) so that it willbe understood that the steam flows downwardly in the apparatus, asillustrated. l

Ordinarily, the lubricator outlet is connected directly to the steamline or pipe 1, so that the lubricant is discharged directly into thesteam line.. This, however, has been found of disadvantage, inasmuch asthe oil or lubricant will be carried into the steam chest, and thencethrough the valve or valves and into the cylinders, the oil .orlubricant not being properly atomized, which would result in anexcessive expenditure of lubricant, and in an inefiicient lubrication ofthe valves and piston.

In carrying out the present invention, an oil and steam chamber orcompartment 5 is disposed between the lubricator 2 and. the steam pipe1, the said chamber being preferably in-the form of a verticalcylindrical casing, and having its upper and lower end portions,connected to the lubricator 2 and the steam pipe 1, respectively, bymeans of the pipe sections 6 and 7, in order-that the lubricant passingfrom the lubricator 2 to the steam pipe, will be constrained to pass indrops,

the chamber 5 is' also connected by means of a pipe section 9, to thesteam pipe 1, at

the point 10 intermediate the point 4 at PatentedFeb.16,15915.

which the pipe section 3 is attached, and the I point 8 at which thepipe section 7 leading from the chamber 5 is attached.

From the foregoing general outline of the apparatus, it will be apparentthat as the steam is admitted into the cylinder, the pressure at thepoint 8 will be lowered, and as a result of the higher pressure at thepoint 10, steam will be admitted through the pipe section 9 to thechamber 5 and the usual supply of lubricant will pass into the chamber 5from the lubricator whereby the lubricant and steam are brought togetherin a peculiar manner, within the chamber 5, so as to atomize thelubricant which passes from the chamber'5 into the steam pipe andfinally into the steam chest and cylinder.

The construction of the atomizer per se is as follows: The atomizerchamber or casing 5 is provided with a lateral nipple or coupling member11 adjoining its upper end, through which the pipe section 6 leadingfrom the lubricator 2 is attached, and is further provided with alateral nipple or coupling member 12 adjoiningitslower end,

to which the pipe section 7 leading to the steam pipe, is attached. Theupper end of the casing or chamber 5 is open, and has a closure or cap13 threaded or otherwise engaged therein, a nozzle tube 1% dependingfrom the closure or plug 13 and coupling means 15 being provided on theplug, to which the pipe section 9 is attached. The nozzle tube 14:preferably has its lower end closed, and-terminating adjoining the lowerend or bottom of the casing 5, the nozzle tube also being disposedaxially within the casing. l

Mounted upon the nozzle tube 14 is a series of lubricant bafiies, whichare intended to catch or arrest the lubricant admitted from thelubricator 2, through the pipe section 6 engaged through the inletnipple or port 11, whereby the steam discharged from the nozzle tube 14,will atomize the lubricant, as will hereinafter more fully appear. Tothis end, a series of concaved or dished baffle disks 16, 16 and 16 aremounted upon the nozzle tube 14 at spaced points the up permost baffledisk v16 being disposed immediately below the inner end of the pipesection 6, while the lowermost baffle disk 16 is disposed adjoining theoutlet 12. Immediately above the intermediate and lowermost bafiie disk16 and 16" respectively, are disposed conveXed or cambered baffle disk17' and 17 which are slightly smaller in diameter than and arranged inpairs with the respective disks 16 and 16".

The lubricant arrested or caught by the several baflie disks, is causedto travel along the disks in a peculiar manner to subject the same tothe action of steam discharged from the nozzle 14, as will hereinafterappear, and to this end, each of the disks 16, 16' and 16 is providedwith an annular series of openings or notches 18 surrounding the nozzletube 14:, and with the upstanding flanges or lips 19 at and coextensivewith the outer edges of the openings 18. The baiiie disks 17 and 17 areeach provided with a series of upstanding peripheral flanges or lips 20,which have the passage 21 between their ends.

Each pair of disks 16-17 and 16--17, are connected by an annular seriesof upright or vertical stays or bars 22, which have their lower endsattached to the respective concaved disks, and which have their upperends attached to the periphery of the respective convexed disks,adjoining or directly below the passages 21.

The nozzle tube let is provided with a plurality of radial outletapertures 23 between the disks 16 and 17, and the disks 16 and 17 Theapertures 23 permit the steam to be discharged from the nozzle tube 14to pass outwardly from between the respective baffle disks.

The operation of the apparatus, including the atomizer as abovedescribed in detail, is as follows. As intimated hereinbefore, when thepressure of the steam is lowered at the point 8, due to the admission ofthe steam into the cylinder, the steam at the point 10 will be at ahigher pressure, than at the point 8, and a supply of steam will beadmitted into the nozzle tube 14 from the pipe section 9. It will beevident that the lubricant passing through the inlet 11 from thelubricator, and the steam entering the cas ing 5 through the nozzle 1d,will be brought together to carry out the functions desired, by theatomization of the lubricant in order that the lubricant may be carriedoff in the form of a vapor with the steam in leaving the atomizer toenter the steam chest with the greater portion of the steam passingdirectly along the steam line or pipe 1.

The drops of lubricant carried into the casing or chamber 5 from thelubricator 2, will be arrested or caught by the baffle disks 16, 16 and16", particularly the first mentioned one, which is arranged directlybelow the pipe section 6. The lubricant or oil will flow toward thecenter of the disk 16, or toward the nozzle tube 14, due to theconcavity of the disk 16, and as a result the lubricant will fiow aroundthe flanges or lips 19 and through the openings 18, down the nozzle tube14 to the convened or cambered baffle disk 17. The conveXed disk 17'will shed the lubricant to the flanges or lips 20 and through thepassages 21, from whence the lubricant will fiow or run down the staysor spacing bars 22 to the peripheral portions of the succeeding baffledisk 16. From the disk 16, the lubricant will flow through therespective openings 18, down the nozzle tube, to the next succeedingbaffle disk 17, the lubricant passing around the disks, 17 and 16inprecisely the same manner as with the disks 17 and 16.

It will be noted that the supply of steam admitted into the nozzle tube14 will be discharged through the apertures 23 between the respectivedisks 1617 and 16-17, in order to so attach the lubricant flowing aroundthe disks, as to atomize or vaporize the same, the current of steamlimiting or ainalgamating with the lubricant vapor, so that the mixturewill pass through the pipe section 7 into the steam line or pipe 1 tocommingle with the column of steam passing therethrough to the cylinder.

With the improved atomizer applied to the lubricating apparatus, thelubricant will not only be atomized and vaporized, but will be heated,to the same temperature as the steam, so that the lubricant will be con-125 veyed in an atomized form into the steam chest, through the valve orvalves and into the cylinder, whereby the valve or valves pistoncylinder walls, and other wearing parts will be lubricated, to reducefriction to 330 a minimum, and with a minimum expenditure of lubricantor valve oil.

It will thus be obvious that the improved apparatus, as hereindescribed," will be thoroughly eflicient for the purposes indicated;whereby those disadvantages incident to the use of an ordinarylubricator, will be eliminated.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 1. Avaporizer of the character described, comprising a casing having alubricant inlet at one end and having an outlet at its other end, aseries of lubricant baflies between the inlet and outlet, and steamadmitting means extending longitudinally of the chamber and havingdischarge means coacting with the baffles.

2. In a lubricating apparatus, a vaporizing chamber attachable to asteam line and having inner barlies, means for supplying lubricant tothe chamber, and steam admitting means extending axially within thechamber, and having discharge means in cooperative relation with thebaffles.

3. A vaporizer of the character described, comprising a chamber having alubricant inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end, alongitudinal steam nozzle extending within the chamber and havinglateral outlet apertures, and lubricant baflies disposed within thechamber in cooperative relation with the said nozzle.

4. A vaporizer of the character described, comprising a chamber having alubricant inlet at one end, and an outlet at its other end, a steamnozzle disposed axially within the chamber and having lateral outletapertures, and lubricant baffles surrounding the said nozzle.

5. In a vaporizer of the character described, a casing having an inletand outlet at its respective ends, a nozzle tube, disposed axiallywithin the casing and having lateral Copies of this patent may beobtained for outlet at its respective ends, a nozzle tube extendinglongitudinally within the casing,

and alternately convexed and concaved baf fie disks mounted upon thenozzle tube, the concaved disks having openings adjoining the nozzletube, and the nozzle tube having outlet apertures between the convexedand concaved disks of each pair.

8. A vaporizer of the character described, I

comprising a casing having an inlet and outlet at its respective ends, anozzle tube extending longitudinally within the casing, alternatelyconvexed and concaved baille disks mounted upon the nozzle tube, theconcaved disks having openings adjoining the nozzle tube and upstandinglips along the outer edges of the said openings, the convexed diskshaving upstanding peripheralflanges forming passages therebetween, theconvexed and concaved disks of each pair having members extendingtherebetween and leading from the said passages, and the nozzle tubehaving outlet apertures between the convexed and concaved disks of eachpair.

In testimony thatI claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM P. STALEY.

Witnesses five cents each, by addressing the commissioner of Patents,Washington, I). G.

